Working dads go through the same stuff

Of course no parenting experience is the same. And sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one struggling with the whole process.

But there are certain elements of the experience that all working dads will recognise. And it’s good to know as you wrestle a baby into the pram or feel your patience drain away in the face of a stubborn teenager that you’re not the only one going through it.

Anthony Ioannou of nursery chain Abacus Ark has identified a few themes that all parents will recognise.

Nothing prepares you for becoming a working dad. The books make it sound straightforward and lots of people have done it before. But the reality doesn’t match the theory. With years of experience with little people, at Abacus Ark we’ve identified five things that all parents can relate to…

1. The meaning of ‘sleep’ has changed forever – do you think things will snap back to normal once your baby starts to sleep through the night? Think again. Prepare to spend the next 18 years in a bizarre, paradoxical sleep; ready to jump out of bed at the slightest noise.
2. Leaving the house is a mission – gone are the days when you grab your coat and head out the door in 15 seconds. You need equipment, supplies and potentially hours of pre-planning just to go to get up the road.
3. There’s no manual – there are plenty of childcare books, but none of them will teach you how to be a good parent to your child. No two kids are the same, so it’s all up to you!
4. Kids can be pretty germy… but you find it ok – snot, vomit, messy nappies; these are all dreaded by non-parents, but for parents, it’s just another Saturday morning. Expect to develop a strange immunity to your child’s disregard for cleanliness.
5. You’ll never be the same again – even after your children leave the house to start their own lives, your entire life will still revolve around them. You’ll hardly recognise the worry-free, spontaneous person you once were… but that’s ok, because you won’t regret a thing.

Abacus Ark have three nurseries in London. They take a holistic approach to child development. You can find more about them here.

• Vote  
• 0
• 0
• You already voted!

• Tags:
• gender equality leadership